Dial.



No. 766,679. PATENTED AUG. 2, 1904. A. J. FARMER.

. DIAL.

nruouxox 1711.21) 001.19, 1903.

$22 65368" Z 2d6/2f071' Z6011 Jarnzer.

M attarneysr UNITED STATES Patented August 2, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

DIAL.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 766,679, dated August2, 1904.

Application filed October 19, 1903. Serial No. 177,545. (No model.)

To all/ whom it may concern:

Be it known that LARTHUR J .FARMER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Detroit, county of Wayne, State of Michigan, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Dials; and I declarethe-following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itpertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates in general to dials, and more particularly toregistering dials especially designed for use in connection withintegrating meters for indicating the consumption of gas, water,electricity, &c.

It is well known that much care and considerable skill is required toread the counters of integrating meter-dials such as are commonly used,as the correct reading frequently differs from that apparently indicatedby the counter. In dials for meters as at present constructed the numberdirectly indicated by the pointer of any counter cannot be relied upon;but the reading of each counter can frequently only be ascertained byfirst determining the number which has been passed by the pointer of thenext lower counter. It is consequently apparent that such dials cannotbe rapidly read with accuracy, especially as the pointers of adjacentcounters in most dials move in opposite directions, which renders itdifiicult to decide at a glance which numhers have been passed by thepointer of each counter.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a dial for integratingmeters which may be rapidly and accurately read without necessitatingthe calculation of the reading of each counter by determining thenumbers which the pointer of the next lower counter has passed.

A further object of my invention is to provide a dial for integratingmeters which will be simple in arrangement, inexpensive in manufacture,and efiicient in use.

My invention will be more fully described hereinafter with reference tothe accompanying drawings, in which the same is illustrated as embodiedin two convenient and practical forms, and in which Figure 1 indicatesone form of counter for my improved dial. Fig. 2 shows my improved dialas comprising three counters, and Fig. 3 shows the embodiment of myimproved dial comprising five counters.

Similar reference characters are used in the several figures of thedrawings to indicate similar parts.

Referring to Fig. 1, A indicates a counter the circular circumference ofwhich is divided into a predetermined number of arcs, each of which issurrounded by an arch formed by concentric curved lines having a lessradius than the radius of the circumference of the counter. Referencecharacters 6, 6, b b b 5", b 6 b and Z) designate the arches lastreferred to, which are described around the arcs of the circumference ofthe counter to project or make the same more prominent. a designates apointer which is moved over the face of the counter and indicates thereading thereof. Within the arches above referred to are locatednumerals progressively arranged from 0 to 9. These numerals designatethe arcs into which the circumference of the counter is divided, andwhen the pointer to is over any particular are the reading of thecounter is the number of such are. The counter has the usualregistering-points t t, 620.; but around its circumference are describedconcentric circles forming the ring R, which is divided into sections,hereinafter referred to as ring-sections. These ring-sections arealternately white and black, and it will be observed that within eacharch 6 Z) 6 &c., there is one white ring-section and one blackring-section. Corresponding ringsections in said arches 6 I) 6 &c.,agree in their surface coloring or are capable of producing similaroptical effects. The choice of white and black surfaces shown in thedrawings is only arbitrary and merely for the purpose of illustration.The arches surrounding the numbers from 0 to 4 are white in the drawingsand in practice are capable of producing an optical efi'ect similar tothe effect produced by the surface of the ringsections in the arcs whichare first reached by the pointer in its regular travel. The archesaround the numbers from" 5 to 9 are shown as black in the drawings andin practice are of such color or character as to produce the sameoptical effect as is produced by the surface of the ring-sections withinthe several arcs last reached by the pointer in its regular rotation.

In Fig. 2 I have shown a dial consisting in three counters. As is oftenthe case in dials comprising a plurality of counters, the pointers ofthe outside counters A and A move in the direction of the hands of aclock, while the pointer 64 of the middle counter A moves in a directionopposite to the movement of the hands of a clock.

In dials as ordinarily constructed at the present time the numbers arelocated adjacent to the points where the small arches 6, 820., meet, thefigure 0 being directly at the top of the counter and the figure 6directly at the bottom, and the reading of each counter is determined bythe numeral which has been passed by the pointer. If, however, thepointer is directly above or a slight distance either side of a number,the counter can only be read by first ascertaining from the next lowercounter (which is ordinarily the one to the right) whether the pointerthereon is opposite one of the spaces from 1 to 5 or whether it isopposite one of the spaces from 6 to 0 If the former is true, thereading of the counter is the higher number, while in the latter casethe lower number should be read. Now, referring to Fig. 2, it will benoticed that the pointer of counter A is at the point where the two arcs6 and 7 unite. Hence itis not clear Without further investigationwhether the counter should be reac 6 or "7. As the pointer of counter Atravels over only one arc, while the pointer of counter A travels theentire circumference or the ten arcs, it is evident that if the pointerof A is nearing the end of a revolutionc'. 6., registers 5, 6, "7, 8, or9 6 is the reading of counter A; but, on the other hand, if the pointeron counter A -is just commencinga revolution 2'. 6., registers 0, 1, "2,3, or 4- the reading of the counter A should be 7. If the pointer of thecounter to the right happens to be in an uncertain position, the secondlower counter-z'. e. A must then be inspected in order to determine thereading of counters 'A and A.

In my improved dial the positions of the pointers of adjacent countersmay be readily determined in the following manner: When the pointer of acounter-as, for instance, Ais in a doubtful position, it is merelynecessary to glance at the next lower counter A to ascertain whether itspointer is opposite a space designated by a numeral the surface of thearch around which is black or white, which at once locates the pointerof the counsurface of the arch around which is black.

In a similar manner the pointer of the counter A should be read 9,inasmuch as the pointer of the next lower counter A. is opposite anumeral the surface of the arch around which is white. If, however, thepointer of the counter A had been opposite a space designated by one ofthe numerals from 5 to 9, the pointer of the counter A should have beenread 8, inasmuch as the surface of the ring-section adjacent to thepointer within the arc 8 is black, as are also the surfaces of thearches around the numerals 5 to "9 on the counter A In the manner abovedescribed the dial illustrated in Fig. 2 is easily and accurately readas registering 691.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a dial comprising five (5) counters C, C C (3*,and G differing slightly in detail from the counters illustrated inFigs. 1 and 2. As in Figs. 1 and 2, the circular circumference of thecounter is divided into the required number of arcs, and each of thelatter is surrounded by an arch having a less radius than that of thecircumference of the counter. These small arches are divided bydiverging lines into three triangular spaces or sectors. The numeralsare located within the central sectors inclosed by each of the smallarches. Instead of employing white and black arches around the numeralsto correspond with the surfaces of the ring-sections in the next highestcounter, Zones or concentric bands 0, c c 0, and carespectively, areprovided adjacent to the circumference of the counters C, C C (1*, and Crespectively. The concentric bands or Zones are divided into two partsdifferently colored or capable of producing different optical effects.The portion of the zone adjacent to the higher numerals 5 to "9 of eachcounter is black to correspond with the black surfaces of the sectors ineach of the arches of the next higher counter which are last reached bythe pointer in its usual travel. It is obvious that when the pointerregisters O, 1, 2, "3, t, or "5 it Will be above the white portion ofthe Zone, and the pointer of the next higher counter is thereby locatedwithin the arch the sector in which adjacent to the pointer is white.

The pointer of counter C is near the center of the are 8, and hence itsreading is clear; but the pointer of C is between the arcs 4 and 5, andhence it is readily located in the arc 5, inasmuch as the pointer ofdial C is above the white portion of the Zone 0 which at once locatesthe pointer on the counter-C upon the white sector which is in the are5. The pointer of the counter O clearly reads 0;, but the reading of thecounter C can only be determined by ins )ectin the counter C as itsointer is be I b a p tween the arcs 6 and 7. As the pointer of thecounter C is above the white portion of the Zone 0", the pointer of thecounter (3* is at once located in the are 7, as the sector thereinadjacent to the pointer is white. The reading of the dial in Fig. 3 isconsequently 85072? From the foregoing description it will be observedthat I have invented an improved dial for integrating meters the readingof any counter in which may be readily determined by merely glancing atthe pointer of the next lower counter without having to consider thedirection of movement of such pointer or the numerals toward which itpoints. In other words, the positions of the pointers of adjacentcounters with respect to' areas differently colored or producingdifferent optical effects properly arranged around the countersdetermine which one of two possible readings is the correct one. Mycounter also secures the advantage that the pointer never obscures thefigures, and it will be found easier to take readings from a dialwherein it is merely necessary to determine what space the pointer is inrather than what point it has passed.

While I have described more or less precisely the details ofconstruction, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto,as I contemplate changes in form, the propor tion of parts, and thesubstitution of equivalents as circumstances may suggest or renderexpedient without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a counter for registering-dials, the com bination with anindicating device, of a circumference relative to which the indicatingdevice moves, said circumference being divided into a predeterminednumber of spaces, surfaces on either side of the juncture-points betweenadjoining spaces which produce different optical effects, said surfaceson corresponding sides of the juncture-points between the spacesproducing similar optical effects.

2. In a registering-dial, a counter comprising a pointer, acircumference divided into a predetermined number of equal spaces,surfaces on either side of the juncture-points between adjoining spaceswhich produce different optical effects, said surfaces on correspondingsides of the juncture-points between the spaces producing the sameoptical effect, an arch described around each of said spaces, and anumeral designating said spaces located within the corresponding arches.

3. In a counter for registering-dials,the combination with an indicatingdevice, of a circumference relative to which the indicating devicemoves, a ring surrounding said circumference divided into sections, saidsections on either side of the juncture-points between adjoiningsections having surfaces which produce different optical effects, saidsurfaces on corresponding sides of the juncture-points between thesections producing the same optical effect.

at. In a dial for integrating meters, a counter comprising a pointer, acircumference divided into a predetermined number of spaces, numeralsdesignating said spaces progressively in the order in which they arereached by the pointer in its rotation, surfaces on either side of eachjuncture-point between the adjacent spaces which produce differentoptical effects, the surfaces on corresponding sides of all thejuncture-points between said spaces producing the same optical effects,and surfaces adjacent to the numerals designating the first half of thespaces reached by the pointer in its rotation producing the same opticaleffect as the surfaces on the sides of the juncturepoints between saidspaces first reached by the pointer.

5. In adial for integrating meters, a counter comprising a pointer, acircumference divided into a predetermined number of spaces, archesdescribed around each of said spaces, numerals located within saidarches designating said spaces progressively in the order in which theyare reached by the pointer in its rotation, surfaces on either side ofeach juncture-point between adjacent spaces which produce differentoptical effects, said surfaces on corresponding sides of all thejuncture-points between said spaces producing the same optical effectand surfaces located around the first half of said arches reached by thepointer producing the same optical effect as the surfaces on the sidesof the juncture-points between said spaces first reached by the pointer.

6. In adial for integrating meters, a counter comprising a pointer, acircumference divided into a predetermined number of spaces, numeralsdesignating said spaces progressively in the order in which they arereached by the pointer in its rotation, surfaces on either side of eachjuncture-point between the adjacent spaces which produce differentoptical effects, the surfaces on corresponding sides of all thejuncture-points between said spaces producing the same optical effects,surfaces adjacent to the numerals designating the first half of thespaces reached by the pointer in its rotation producing the same opticaleffect as the surfaces on the sides of the j uncture-points between saidspaces first reached by the pointer, and surfaces adjacent to thenumerals designating the last half of the spaces reached by the pointerproducing the same optical effect as the surfaces on the sides of thejuncturepoints between said spaces last reached by the pointer.

7. In a dial for integrating meters, a plurality of counters eachcomprising a pointer, a circumference divided into a predeterminednumber of spaces, numerals designating said spaces progressively in theorder in which they are reached by the pointer in its rotation, surfaceson either side of each juncture-point between adjacent spaces producingdifferent optical effects, said surfaces on corresponding sides of allthe juncture-points between said spaces producing a similar opticaleffect, and surfaces on each lower counter adjacent to the numeralsdesignating the first half of the spaces reached by the pointer whichproduce an optical effect similar to the surfaces of the next highercounter on the sides of the juncture-points between the spaces thereonfirst reached by its pointer.

8. In a dial for integrating meters, a plurality of counters eachcomprising an indicating device and a surface relative to which theindicating device moves, said surface being clivided into spacesadjacent to which the inclicating device successively moves, each ofsaid spaces being divided into two portions, means associated with theportions of the several spaces first reached by the indicating devicecapable of producing a given optical effect, means associated with theportions of the several spaces last reached by the indicating devicecapable of producing a different optical effect from said first means,means associated with the half of the spaces of each lower counter lastreached by its indicating device capable of producing an optical effectsimilar to that produced by the means associated with the last portionsof the spaces in the next higher counter reached by its indicatingdevice, and means associated with the half of the spaces of each lowercounter first reached by its indicating device capable of producing anoptical effect similar to the means associated with the first portionsof the spaces on the next higher counter reached by its indicatingdevice.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses.

ARTHUR J. FARMER.

Witnesses:

S. E. THOMAS, CHAs. TIMM.

